#1 New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth George delivers an explosive, “absolutely riveting” novel (Entertainment Weekly) that delves into the events leading up to the shocking murder of Inspector Lynley’s wife. The brutal, inexplicable death of Inspector Thomas Lynley’s wife, Helen, has left Scotland Yard shocked and searching for answers. Even more horrifying is that the trigger was … for answers. Even more horrifying is that the trigger was apparently pulled by a twelve-year-old boy.
That story begins on the other side of London in rough North Kensington, where the three, mixed-race, virtually orphaned Campbell children are bounced first from their grandmother to their aunt. The oldest, fifteen-year-old Ness, is headed for trouble as fast as her high-heeled boots will take her. That leaves the middle child, Joel, to care for the youngest, Toby. No one wants to put it into words, but something clearly isn’t right with Toby.
Before long, there are signs that Joel himself has problems. A local gang starts harassing him and threatening his brother. To protect his family, Joel ends up making a pact with the devil—a move that leads straight to the front doorstep of Thomas Lynley.
The anatomy of a murder, the story of a family in crisis, What Came Before He Shot Her is a powerful and emotional novel, full of deep psychological insights, that only the incomparable Elizabeth George could write.
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Amazing but unsettling.
All of these books are wonderful
Elizabeth George writes good books, but they’re always longer than 400 pages. Some are 600 or 700 pages. I won’t read anything that long as an ebook. This one is a prequel to an earlier book.
I have loved every book that I have read by Elizabeth George. It has been several years since she released a new novel. I hope that she hasn’t retired! I miss reading about Inspector Lindley and Sgt. Havers!
A lot of people didn’t like this book…I think that is very unfair. It is not a conventional Lynley book, but so important in the characters’ lives going forward. It may also be a bit uncomfortable for many, as the dilemma posed to the characters is very thought-provoking if you are honest. I read this at least 6 yrs ago and it has stayed with …
This book looks at the tragic life of a mixed-race child growing up in a project in London. The little boy has so much going for him, until he’s forced to commit a monstrous crime to save the life of a sibling. Horrifying and humbling. A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the tumult in the lives of disadvantaged children.
This was the first Elizabeth George book that I read, and I was hooked. The characters stayed with me for weeks. However, I wish that I had known that I should read the book that came before it “With No One to Witness” because they should be read in order. If you love great characters, read these books.
This is the only book in this series that I did not enjoy. Strays too far from the usual characters and explores the life of an underprivileged young man.
After you have read the preceding books, this book completely throws you for a loop. I cried, I was angry and weeks later I understood what happened. I love this series and this is probably the most memorable of all of the books.
This book shows how the destructive peer pressures can entrap a good child to turn to crime due to pressure and fear. It speaks to areas of British society along with areas of American society plays in what can almost force youth into crime. Our justice system always blames the individual and does not explore what lead to this child’s background …
It gave a new perspective on a troubled youth. Helps you understand how he got to the point of shooting someone which was out of character for him. We have learned to care about the woman he shot. This book makes you care about the boy who shot her.
I love Elizabeth George – she’s one of my all-time favorite authors. That said, I really didn’t enjoy this book. I believe the author wrote this book to illuminate the “other side to the story” of the shocking crime that occurred in her previous book. I get that. However, it was a slog for me to get through this book. It was sad, depressing and …
I can’t believe Elizabeth George understood the psychological aspects of the boy’s character and how he turned out as he did so well.
Not up to her usual style and very disappointing. I no longer wish to read her books.
This is just a horribly bad book if you are looking for a mystery and entertainment. Nothing redeeming about it except as case study on how a stereotypical immigrant family can be screwed over by the system and go to seed. Not to mention how ther e is not a redeeming Jamaican migrat in this book. Every character in this book is simply bad, the …
This was the first book in Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynsey series that I bought as a daily bookbub deal, that I read. It was entirely different from anything I’ve ever read. I am a true fan of mysteries and I really hate to figure out what happened halfway through a novel. Ms. George caught my heart! I went from this book which, I believe, …
This book was depressing. I kept on reading because I kept hoping there would be some type of redemption. It just got darker and darker.
I Love Elizabeth George but this was not among my favorites of hers
this was a complete change in every way from the normal Inp. Lindley books, in fact he wasn’t in it. This was outside my comfort zone in so many ways and hard to read because of the story line. Like watching a scary movie you can’t stop looking at. I knew Helen was going to be dead at the end even tho all the way thru I kept hoping for a …
Elizabeth George is my favorite author.
I love her style of writing, her story lines, and her character development.
This book is part of a series, so anyone interested in reading it should see what books were written before this one.
On the other hand, I would say that this book can stand on its own.
I think Elizabeth George is the best mystery …